The third Monday in April commemorates the brave soldiers who fought in the battles of Lexington and Concord, as well as the first battles of the American Revolution.

But for us sports nuts, Patriots' Day means three things.

1. The Boston Red Sox season is officially in full swing — pun very much intended.

2. The NHL playoffs have begun, and the Boston Bruins are looking to repeat.

3. Last, but certainly not least, Marathon Monday.

With so many great Boston sporting events jam-packed into a mere 24 hours, it's tough to decide which is the best. So, without further ado, here is your chance to vote for your favorite Boston sports Patriots' Day event.

Cast your vote below.

Which Boston Sports Patriots’ Day event are you most excited about?

In a gesture of their appreciation for the city of Boston's support this season, the Bruins will host "Fan Appreciation Day" on Saturday against the Sabres.

Twenty-seven lucky fans will be heading home from the TD Garden with a game-worn jersey autographed by a Bruins player, while many other fans will be lucky enough to win other prizes.

Boston has no shortage of star power when it comes to current athletes, and any game-worn jersey from any of the teams would be quite the treat for a fan. If you had your druthers, is there any one athlete's game-worn laundry you'd want the most?

Yes, some might be a little diriter than others (think Dustin Pedroia diving for a ground ball or Tom Brady sliding for a first down), but they'd all be quite the prize.

Which Boston athlete's game-worn jersey would you most want?

Kobe Bryant lost Lamar Odom earlier this week and wasn’t able to welcome Chris Paul as a new teammate, but the Lakers are always a contender. Meanwhile, their basketball neighbor Clippers can brag that the most exciting player in the league, Blake Griffin, wears their uniform.

On the ice, the Kings have represented the Staples center just fine in recent years. Goalie Jonathan Quick leads the NHL in shutouts this season and has led the Kings to the playoffs for two straight seasons.

The city’s two baseball teams are no slouches either. While the Dodgers struggled last season, they can also lay claim to the best hitter and pitcher in the National League, with MVP Matt Kemp and Cy Young winner Clayton Kershaw under contract.

And that’s before considering the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, who broke the bank for free agents Albert Pujols and C.J. Wilson last week. Those two will bolster a roster that has as good a chance at any to bring home a World Series title in 2012.

While each of L.A.’s teams has a legitimate chance at bringing home a title in the near future, some appear to be closer to glory than others. So, which Los Angeles team will bring home the hardware first?

Which Los Angeles team will win a championship next?

Which Boston rival is your favorite to beat? Is it the pesky Montreal Canadiens? The brash New York Jets? The evil empire that is the New York Yankees? Maybe even the dreaded Los Angeles Lakers?

NESN Nation's Dan Duquette asked our Facebook fans and Twitter followers for their take and picked out some of their best answers. Watch the video to see what NESN Nation had to say about the matter.

Click here to vote in Thursday's Fan Forum: Which Boston rival do you most enjoy beating?

Join NESN Nation: In-game home page | Twitter | Facebook

Boston fans realize the intensity that comes with a rivalry, as they are joined in one of the greatest rivalries in all of sports with the New York Yankees. Boston and New York fans can get in some serious debates when it comes to their beloved teams, and fandom can get fairly heated at times, but are you afraid to wear your Red sox gear at an opposing team’s stadium?

Normally, wearing your team’s threads away from the friendly confines of your home stadium would bring nothing more than a few jeers and an empty threat or two, but as the lines of baseball rivalries grow deeper, opposing fans become more turbulent. Combine a few passionate fans and a couple of ballpark beers and things can escalate out of hand pretty quickly.

Red Sox Nation is represented in all corners of the globe. In fact, sometimes there are more Boston fans present than the opposing fan base. Sticking together in groups usually helps avoid conflict with the locals, so most Sox fans can feel pretty safe when cheering on the team away from the Fens.

Would you be afraid to wear Red Sox gear at an opposing team’s stadium? Share your thoughts below.

Wednesday, April 20: Who will win the AL West this season?

Do you feel safe wearing Red Sox gear at opposing teams’ stadiums?survey software

However, it's actually a day to celebrate the Red Sox and the Boston Marathon, as well as a chance for workers across Massachusetts and Maine to play hookie from work.

And oh yeah, there is some historical significance, as well.

Patriots' Day, of course, is a holiday celebrated by Massachusetts and Maine (and Wisconsin public schools, oddly enough) to commemorate the Battles of Lexington and Concord, the first battles of the American Revolution.

Over time, though, Patriots' Day has morphed into something completely different. The Red Sox now play at home on every observance of the holiday, and they do so by being the only Major League Baseball game that takes place with an 11 a.m. first pitch.

The early Red Sox start then coincides with the annual running of the Boston Marathon, the world's oldest marathon. Thousands of runners converge upon the Bay State in arguably the most recognizable race in the entire world.

The logistics of the road race often cause quite a headache for workers in Boston and the surrounding areas. So naturally, Patriots' Day offers a chance for a day off for workers across the two states. State, county and municipal offices have the day off to observe the holiday, but that doesn't stop plenty of others from taking the day off, as well. Public schools start April vacation on Monday, and plenty of colleges and universities — especially in the Boston area — take the day off, as well. That, unsurprisingly, leads to plenty of ruckus across the city, even leading some to create Facebook groups like "Marathon Monday is Better Than Christmas."

All in all, it's a very busy day in the city of Boston with plenty of things to do, see and experience.

What’s the best part of Patriots’ Day? Share your thoughts below.

Sunday, April 17: How many games will John Ferrell win in his first season as Blue Jays manager?

In basketball, you have Celtics-Lakers. Football’s got Patriots-Jets. There’s no denying that Red Sox-Yankees is one of the best rivalries in baseball. But the best of the bunch may be the one being renewed on Thursday night when the Montreal Canadiens come to town to tangle with the Bruins.

Regardless of what sport, the passion runs deep in these rivalries. When it comes to rivalry, there is certainly an immense amount of dislike between the two sides, especially in all four of the aforementioned Boston rivalries, but there is still some level of respect.

Except, maybe, when it comes to Bruins-Habs. The B’s and Canadiens just don’t like each other one bit and neither do the fan bases. For years, the two teams have played contrasting styles of hockey — styles that some may even say reflect the culture and attitude of both cities. Add that up, and you get a ton of vitriol.

While Red Sox fans can respect the fact that the Yankees are one of baseball’s greatest franchises, Celtics fans realize that Kobe Bryant is one of the greatest players of this generation and Patriots fans recognize that the Jets are a force to be reckoned with, does any of that respect carry over to hockey?

Which Boston sports rival do you respect the most? Share your thoughts below.

Tuesday, March 22: Are the Bruins’ current struggles good for their Stanley Cup chances?

Which Boston sports rival do you respect the most?online survey

According to the recent poll compiled by Brand Keys Inc., the Philadelphia Phillies are the top-ranked MLB team when it comes to fan loyalty. The Phillies surpassed the Yankees and the Red Sox for the coveted No. 1 spot.

What’s likely even more infuriating for Red Sox fans is the fact that the Yankees come in at No. 2 in the rankings. The Red Sox had been at the top of the list for the past two seasons.

Even though the Red Sox’ stock has dropped a bit in fan loyalty, the Patriots are still riding high in the NFL. New England ranks first among the 32 NFL teams, even after the team’s frustrating finish to the 2010 season.

Brand Keys Inc. surveyed 250 fans in each team’s market and assessed the data based on factors such as on-field success, fan bonding with players, and franchise history and tradition in each team’s market to determine the most fan loyal teams. Teamwork and club effort also had an effect on the poll results. The New York-based company surveyed fans from all four professional leagues one week after Super Bowl XLV.

Despite dropping in the MLB rankings, Boston teams should have no complaints, since all four teams made the top five rankings in each professional league. The Celtics came in at No. 4 on the list of NBA teams, ranking behind the Spurs, Lakers and Mavericks. The Bruins finished fifth among the 30 teams in the NHL, a list led by the Red Wings and the Flyers.

New England teams, however, were the only ones to appear in the top five for all four professional leagues. Check out all the Sports Loyalty Index results below.

Major League Baseball
1. Philadelphia Phillies
2. New York Yankees
3. Boston Red Sox
4. San Francisco Giants
5. Los Angeles Dodgers

National Football League
1. New England Patriots
2. Pittsburgh Steelers
3. Indianapolis Colts
4. Green Bay Packers
5. New York Jets

National Basketball Association
1. San Antonio Spurs
2. Los Angeles Lakers
3. Dallas Mavericks
4. Boston Celtics
5. Phoenix Suns

National Hockey League
1. Detroit Red Wings
2. Philadelphia Flyers
3. San Jose Sharks
4. Vancouver Canucks
5. Boston Bruins